Smooth Sailing
by Redshadow43
Summary: Minister Kingsley promises hopelessly single Hermione Granger that a little field work with now super-eligible Lucius Malfoy to obtain a dragon-guarded ancient Grimoire should be smooth sailing, but if she's not careful, her ex-Death Eater supervisor could sail his way right into her heart...sequel: Sailing Away
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Lucius Malfoy and Hermione Granger had been working together at the Ministry for about six months. Hermione always felt a bit nervous and shy around him, most especially since Narcissa had taken Draco and left him shortly after the war. The two were both working in the Department of Grimoire Restorations, and so far they didn't have to do much interacting, but today, all that was about to change.

"Good morning, Miss Granger," said Kingsley as she stepped into the large library filled with old and rare documents, ready to get her fingers dirty. "Might I have a word?"

"Of course, Minister," she said quickly, stepping over to where the man stood by a large desk filled with a scattering of loose sheafs of paper that needed sorting.

"Lucius Malfoy has told me you've been doing an excellent job cataloguing things around here," Kingsley informed her with a grim sort of smile as he put his hands behind his back and flexed his ankles.

"I didn't know he noticed," she answered with a blush, trying not to appear interested in that gentleman's opinion.

"He also told me that you never stop cataloguing, Miss Granger," Kingsley added. "I know that it must be difficult for you, since Weasley decided to run off and marry Miss Brown instead of you—"

"Not at all, sir," Hermione stopped him. "Actually, I was rather glad of it. Things weren't going too well between us, if you must know, sir."

"I see," he answered. "Well, be that as it may, I've spoken at length with Malfoy, and he and I agree that it's about time you did a little field work."

"Field work, sir?" Hermione repeated nervously.

"Yes, as in work that is outside the office," Kingsley explained as if speaking to a child.

"I know what field work is, sir," she told him.

"Yes, well good, because Malfoy is waiting for you in my office this morning, and the two of you are going on a little field trip," he said. "I've learned of an ancient document in France that I want the two of you to recover, and it may get a bit sticky along the way. He was of the opinion that it would be the perfect mission to start you off with."

"Sticky?" Hermione inquired.

"Yes, well, there's a rumor that the thing may be guarded by a dragon, as it were."

"Great, another dragon," Hermione grumbled.

"Not up to it, my dear?" Kingsley inquired.

"Oh, no sir, I'm quite certain I can handle it," Hermione said. "I'm more worried about handling an outing with Malfoy. I might prefer the dragon."

Kingsley chuckled. "Miss Granger, I'm sure this trip will be smooth sailing," he reassured her as the two headed for his office. As Hermione stepped inside and looked at her enigmatic companion and his smile did queer things to her insides, she found it hard to agree. And as she took the arm he offered so they could depart and her heart began to pound in her chest, she shook her head and scoffed—smooth sailing, indeed!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"I see you're dressed for the occasion, Miss Granger," Lucius chuckled as the two stepped out into the hall and began to navigate their way through the throng of other witches and wizards that surrounded them.

"What?" she asked distractedly, trying to concentrate on ignoring the fact that his hand had slid from her elbow to her back whilst he was evading a particularly zealous young man who practically ran past them. She hoped he didn't notice the sudden increased tempo of her breathing, or if he did, that he attributed it to the exercise they were currently undertaking, and not anything he might be doing.

"Your dress, my dear," he answered as his hand went about her waist to guide her away from the returning zealot, now bent on going the other way. "It'll be perfect for a nice boat ride."

"Boat ride?" she repeated dumbly.

"Hold on, Hermione, this hall is especially treacherous today, let's floo out, shall we?" Lucius suggested, taking her with him into one of the fireplaces. When they were in one piece again, they were standing on some boat docks in a line.

"We're taking a boat?" Hermione asked him as the wind whipped at her hair.

"Yes, and you should be right at home, too," he said affably. "Apparently we'll be crossing with a load of Muggles."

"Wait, you're telling me you're going to cross the Channel in a boat full of Muggles?"

"Yes, why not?" he said with a grin. "Sounded like a bit of fun. I haven't been on a boat in years, you know. My grandmother used to insist upon it, but my father hated it with a passion. The last time I was on a boat was the day the old girl died. Terrible thing, that. Rather not remember it."

"No doubt," Hermione agreed, though she had no idea what circumstances surrounded the event in question.

Lucius took her arm and brought her with him, holding her a bit closer to his side than strictly necessary, but Hermione was too distracted by the very fact they were there to remark upon it at the moment. She was watching his face in amazement as he seemed to have transformed from his usually more grouchy self into this grinning, carefree man before her. She shook her head in wonder.

"What are you thinking about, Miss Granger?" he inquired with a laugh.

"Where is Lucius Malfoy and how did you get Kingsley to play along with this dastardly deception?" she inquired suspiciously.

Lucius chuckled as the two stepped onto the gangplank. He held onto her hand to make sure she didn't fall, and handed her onto the boat. The man who was boarding them took her other hand to make sure she got her footing, and then put a steadying hand on Lucius's shoulder momentarily as the two stepped away.

"I assure you, Hermione, it's me," he said as they moved forward to look for somewhere to sit down. "It's just that the sun is shining, and I've a lovely young traveling companion on my arm, and we're off to have a grand adventure with the promise of a bit of danger—what more can a man ask for?"

"Not much, I suppose," she said with a smile. "So you're like the kid in the candy store?"

"Yes, I am," he agreed. "Only I can't decide which sweet I like the best. Although I must admit, I've got a fairly good idea."

Hermione blushed deeply as the two sat together on a couple of deck chairs and the whistle began to blow. They heard the distinctive sound of the anchor being raised, and soon the boat was under way.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"Hermione, we've been sitting long enough," Lucius said about two hours later. "Up, up, put that silly book away. Can't you feel the wind in your hair? Come up to the bow with me, my dear, let's have a look."

"Hold on, Lucius, let me finish my paragraph—" Hermione tried to say, but he had her book in his hand and was holding it away from her before she'd even finished the sentence. Because he was so much taller, she couldn't reach it, and she cast him an indignant glare. Lucius, of course, merely laughed at her.

"Hermione, my dear, do you never do anything but read and write and file things away where they belong?" he wanted to know. "Don't you want to actually see what you've been reading about?"

"I do see things," she protested, though her voice faltered slightly as she said it, knowing that she really didn't. She fidgeted under his gaze as he raised a brow at her, and then she finally looked down at her feet. "Okay, fine, I don't. So sue me."

"I won't," he said. "But I will take this book away until you've seen at least three new things you haven't seen. Agreed?"

"Three?" she gasped as she gaped up at him. "We're on a boat. Where am I going to see three new things on a boat?"

"Hermione Granger, have you ever been on a boat?" he wanted to know. "There are plenty of things to see, if you only know where to look."

"Like what?" she scoffed.

Lucius took her hand and drew her with him to the rail, and pointed up to the sky, where a flock of seabirds were flying past. Some of them were chasing each other, and he chuckled as he set her in front of him and stood behind her, one arm on either side.

"What are they doing?" Hermione asked him curiously.

"You don't know, bookworm?" he teased her as two birds came together, and then Hermione figured it out. Her face turned all shades of red as the coupling birds screeched, falling briefly together.

"Lucius!" she gasped, hiding her eyes in her hands.

"Come on, now, that was only your first thing," he teased her. "Don't you want your book back?"

"Let me go, you evil man," she admonished him, realizing he had her pinned to the rail. Lucius giggled and rested his chin on the top of her head.

"Look over there, do you see the school of fish going by?" he inquired innocently. He pointed out the large group of fish nearby as they passed them, and she obligingly looked down into the water, quite aware when the hand he'd been pointing with retracted and his arm wrapped casually around her chest. "A bit cold up here, don't you think?"

"A little," she answered, trying to suppress a shiver unsuccessfully.

"Mmm, I guess so," he chuckled. "Maybe your third thing to see should be a ship's galley for some dinner?"

"Maybe," she agreed, disappointed when he let her go. He turned her around, briefly squeezed both her hands, then walked with her to the large door that led inside.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

"Hmm, broiled salmon or fish filets, what a choice," Lucius commented wryly. "Well then, we could wait an hour and go find a nice restaurant on the mainland somewhere, if you like."

"What's wrong, Lucius, don't you know how to rough it?" Hermione teased him.

"Rough it?" he repeated, raising an eyebrow. "You call this roughing it?"

"Bet you've never gone camping, have you?" Hermione asked him. "I don't mean simply sleeping outside with your wand at your beck and call, I mean good, old fashioned, Muggle-style camping."

"Are you serious?" he laughed. "You mean as in rubbing a couple sticks together to start a fire, building a lean-to out of twigs, sleeping on a bed of leaves type camping? Of course not."

"I bet you couldn't last one night out in the wild, could you, Lucius Malfoy?" she asked smugly.

"Oh, and you could, bookworm?" he scoffed, sitting forward in his chair so their noses were practically touching. "All right, tell you what. We won't Apparate to Mont Blanc at all, how's that? We'll back pack there and back again, is that what you want to hear? We'll get some supplies in Calais, take the train south to Geneva, and hike our way in like a couple of regular tourists. What do you say?"

"Are you sure you're up for it?"

"Well, I am if you are, Hermione, but are you sure you're up for spending a whole week alone with me?" he asked, moving closer than ever.

Somehow, the tone of his voice changed in such a way as to suddenly make her feel as though he had wrapped her into his arms and stuck his tongue right down her throat. It was difficult for her to get out the words as she answered, "I spend time alone with you every day."

"You spend day time alone with me at work every day, Hermione," he pointed out in a velvety soft whisper, his forehead touching hers as she somehow leaned into him against her will. "You don't spend bedtime with me."

"Hmph, it can't be that bad," she said bravely.

"No, not bad at all," he said, smiling into her eyes as he sat up again. "So, it's to be the train, then. This adventure is going to be even more dangerous than I thought."

Hermione laughed and shook her head. "Let's go watch the shoreline. We should be able to see it now."

"All right," he agreed, taking her hand to bring her to her feet. They walked companionably back outside and stood watching for the next twenty minutes or so as the ship finally reached the shore. In no hurry to get in the middle of a crowd again, the two hung back and watched until they were pretty much the last two passengers and then got off the boat.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

"So, where does one shop for camping equipment in Calais?" Lucius inquired with a chuckle as the two left the port and ambled toward the city at large. Hermione laughed and bumped into his shoulder with hers.

"Like I've ever seen Calais?" she reminded him. "I'm a bookworm, remember?"

"Shall we Apparate just once, my dear, to a store I'm familiar with, or do we have to wear ourselves out walking five kilometers to get to it?"

"I guess we can cheat just a little," she allowed. "Just to get prepared. No sense in having magical abilities and never using them, right?"

Lucius laughed at her, and bumped her shoulder back again, then grabbed her hand to side-Apparate her to the store in question. They stepped inside the store and got plenty of supplies, which of course Hermione agreed they ought to shrink just for convenience, and by the time they were done shopping the two left the shop together giggling like school children.

"This is going to be fun," Lucius told her. "And don't imagine I didn't see you buy those three books, either, miss. You'd better not think you're going to have your nose in them the whole time. This is supposed to be a trip for you to get out and about, as much as for anything, you know."

"Is it?" she asked with one brow raised delicately in his direction.

"It is," he said firmly, and he put a hand at the small of her back to lead her toward the train station. Hermione scowled at him as she went, and Lucius chuckled. "And you'll thank me for it by the time we're done, you mark my words."

"What do you know about what's good for me, Lucius Malfoy?" she grumbled.

"A great deal more than you might imagine," he said as they reached the station and he stepped up to buy their tickets. She stormed along behind him as he led the way to their platform, and he was quite certain she had more to say.

"You've got a lot of nerve deciding what I do and do not need, don't you?" she commented when they finally stopped.

Lucius turned abruptly to look back at her, and was about to say something, when he thought better of it, sucked the words back, and instead said, "Listen, I'm the head of your department, right? I have to take care of the needs of my employees, to make sure they stay in top order, right? If I don't see to all your needs, you won't be at your best. I always excel at my job, and that means I'm going to make sure you do, too. So yes, I will decide what you do and do not need, got it?"

Hermione was about to come up with a suitable retort, but one did not leave her lips. She felt a lump well up in her throat, because at some level she'd been thinking perhaps he'd been doing what he was doing out of some sort of feelings for her, and if what he was saying was true it meant he was doing it only because it was his job. That was a somewhat upsetting proposition.

"Hermione, I didn't mean—"

"No, don't say anything," she said. "I understand completely."

"You don't," he insisted, pulling her to him and crushing her lips to his.

Hermione pushed him away from her and turned away, tears stinging her eyes. He was right about that, at least. She most certainly didn't understand; not at all.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

"Hey, there you are," said Lucius as he stepped into the very last car of the train, which was abandoned except for one other passenger, a man who had fallen asleep hours ago. Hermione was hunched up on a seat near a window, watching the landscape go by. Lucius sat cautiously next to her and started to rub her shoulders soothingly. "You took off so fast I never got to ask what you would want for dinner. You must be hungry by now."

"I'm not," she said, but then her stomach growled loudly, giving the lie to her words. The two of them looked at each other, and she blushed as she looked out the window again.

"Why are you hiding back here?" Lucius asked her. "Come have something to eat, and then we can go to our car and get some sleep. We've got a long hike ahead, don't you want to rest up for it?"

Hermione sighed, but when he tugged at her arm she let him coax her into falling into step at his side and going to the car with the tables. Once there, he plied her with various types of food, trying to find one that would entice her to eat. Finally, he whispered in the ear of the waitress, who smiled and disappeared, returning a minute or two later with two dishes of ice cream.

"Come on, Hermione, I know you like this," he teased her. "Am I going to have to feed it to you to get it into you?"

"No," she answered, blushing. She ate a bite but obviously he thought she was taking too long to eat another, because with a wicked grin and his own spoon, he scooped up another and chased her mouth with it, getting some on her chin before he managed to get it into her mouth.

Hermione giggled when he took his time about removing the spoon, and then leaned forward rather ostentatiously and nibbled the smear of ice cream he'd gotten on her face off again. Her heart started hammering in her chest as their eyes met and held, and his lips found their way to hers, if only briefly, before he backed away again with a playful grin.

"I think you might have missed a spot," she told him.

"Do you?" he inquired. "Where is it, then? You know how much I like to do a good job."

"Right there," she whispered, touching her lips.

Lucius leaned forward and made sure to do a much more thorough job this time. Hermione's ice cream was half melted before she ate any more of it.

"Are you getting tired?" he asked when he saw her yawn. She nodded shyly, and he pulled her up against his side as they walked together toward the sleeping cars. Lucius opened the door to theirs and they stepped inside.

Hermione eyed the smallish platform that was supposed to serve as a bed of sorts uncertainly, but she didn't want to make a fuss. She was the one who had challenged Lucius to be adventurous, after all, and it seemed kind of silly to be snogging him in the kitchen and then go all weepy now, so she nervously laid down and faced the wall, pulling the blanket so he could get under it with her.

Chuckling at her, Lucius refrained from telling Hermione that lying that way could be even more intimate than if she'd elected to turn the other way around, if he curled into her in the right way. Instead, he decided to save that lesson for another time and circumspectly laid on his back so he would not be tempted to spoon her lovely backside as he so blatantly wanted to.

"Make sure you get some sleep, my dear," he told her. "We're going to have to figure out just exactly where in these mountains that bloody temple would be, so I'll need my best girl's mind to be sharp as a whip once we get where we're going."

"You mean you don't know where it is, and you didn't even say anything?" Hermione grumbled, turning to look back at him. "What do you know about the book?"

"The Templars were hiding it from the Pope during the Crusades," he explained. "You know how they felt about magic and witchcraft back then. It will likely be somewhere well hidden, to be sure, and somewhere that Muggles wouldn't be able to find it."

"It's most likely going to be inside a cave," she told him. "Especially if there's a dragon guarding it. Good thing we got climbing gear, just in case."

"You're really going to make me use that stuff?" he clarified.

Hermione giggled as she laid on her back and squeezed his hand. "Sure, why not?"

"It would be a lot easier to fly up," he pointed out.

"Yes, I suppose it would," she agreed. "But where's the adventure in that?"


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

"Wake up, Hermione, we're almost to Geneva," Lucius said in her ear a few hours later. Hermione stirred, and realized she was wrapped in his arms. She groaned, half in protest and half in pleasure, as he bit the ear he'd been whispering in, and Lucius chuckled as he let her go. "Up, up, up, miss adventurer. You're not going to have much of an adventure lying there—at least, not the kind of adventure we were planning on."

"Lucius!" she gasped, her eyes popping open rather quickly after that comment.

"I rather thought that might do the trick," he said with a wicked grin as he pulled her onto her feet. They started slinging all their belongings onto their arms and then headed for the exit so they could leave the train when it pulled into the station. The whistle blew and Hermione's body swayed slightly as the train began to slow. Lucius's hand shot out to steady her, making her whole body tingle from the simple touch.

"Geneva!" the porter called, and the two of them stepped out along with four other people. It was still dark outside, and they could hear crickets chirping.

Hermione picked up a map from a stand near the station entrance and held it under the light to have a look at it. She glanced up at Lucius as he watched her, and said, "There's a campsite about three kilometers that way, we could trek on over there and sleep till daylight if you like."

"Three kilometers that way," he drawled with amusement at the way she'd so casually said it. Hermione cast him a withering look, and he gazed back at her innocently. "Well then, lead the way, bookworm. And bring the map with you."

"Good idea," Hermione agreed, and laughed at Lucius as he almost put a galleon in the money slot to pay for it. He stopped in time, and stepped back to allow her to pull out the proper amount of Muggle money instead, bowing to her as she did so. Hermione pulled a face at him as she slid the crisp bills into the slot, and then the two of them began their trek.

"Exactly how long does it take to walk three kilometers, anyway?" Lucius asked curiously.

Hermione started to laugh. "I suppose it depends on the company—and the mood. It sometimes helps if you occupy the time somehow, maybe sing a song or something."

"Sing a song?" he asked. "Pray tell, what song does one sing to walk with?"

Hermione started to laugh even more.

"What is it, Miss Granger?" he insisted, laughing with her.

"Sea shanties," she chuckled. "My Dad loves 'em. We used to sing the things while we walked. Do you know any?"

"I know a few that could make your ears burn," Lucius commented with a grin.

"Well, I think we'd better sing the ones I would know," Hermione said with a blush.

Lucius started singing in a smooth, velvety baritone, "Let's go find the camp, my pretty witch lady, let's go find the camp and bed down on some grass. Let's go find the camp, my sweetest witch lady, and if there's some time, might I get me some—"

"Lucius Malfoy, I said no naughty ones!" she said, swatting him right on his backside. When he tried to swat her back, Hermione squealed and giggled, running away from him.

"Oh yes, we should get there much sooner this way," he chuckled as he stalked after her. "Good idea, Miss Granger."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

"Okay, Lucius, you gather up some twigs and I'll start us a fire," said Hermione as she dropped her bags in the middle of the campsite the two had selected about an hour or so later. They had chosen one near a nice stream, and the moon shone down on them with a slight silvery glow, just bright enough for her to see him pull a face. "What's wrong with that idea?"

"You mean rub together a couple sticks?" he chuckled.

"Oh yeah, that's right, you wanted to rub together the sticks, didn't you?" she said as though she'd forgotten.

"Imp," he grumbled. "Don't think I've forgotten I owe you a swat on your sweet backside, woman."

"Hey, well, you never have been able to catch me," she answered with outrageous bravado. "Now go find some sticks and I'll show you how to rub them the right way."

"Oh, so you think I don't know how to rub things the right way, eh?" he asked as he pulled her into his arms and nibbled at her lips with his own. Hermione chuckled and pushed at his chest, trying to get away and stay all at once. "Mmm, have I caught you, or is it just that you've surrendered?"

"Neither," she answered, then chuckled. "Both," she amended, and leaned up to kiss him back. "Find wood." Then she pushed him toward the trees and swatted his butt again.

"That's two, Granger," he called back as he went.

Hermione laughed and went to lay out their sleeping rolls. She couldn't decide if she should put them near each other or make them into one cozy nest they could share, so instead she just sort of tossed them down and made it look as though she hadn't gotten around to arranging them yet so they were in one pile together without it being on purpose, then she shook her head, realizing he was likely to see right through something that lame, and laid them side by side instead, even though she didn't want to.

When Lucius returned with his sticks and saw the way the two bed rolls were situated, he stretched languidly and pretended to accidentally move one on top of the other with his foot. Hermione laughed at him and plopped down on top the pile.

"Hmm, much more comfy that way," she commented, trying not to smile.

"Undoubtedly," he agreed, winking at her.

She sat and watched as he made a pile out of some moss he'd brought back, pleased by the fact he'd thought of it on his own, and then shook her head at the deplorable way he went about trying to rub the sticks together. He would never get any friction between them the way he was doing it.

"That's not how," she said helpfully, moving behind him and taking one of his hands in each of hers, leaning into him as she showed him the correct method. With her body pressed against his back, it was easy to feel when his heart sped up at her touch. Her breath caught as he turned his head to look back into her eyes, and she suddenly realized just how intimate their proximity really was.

"You know something, I think we've got plenty of heat at the moment," said Lucius in a husky whisper as he turned around and laid her down on their bedding, covering her body with his own. Hermione's breath quickened as his lips claimed hers, tasting her with a wild need. His hands tangled into her hair, and a moan tore its way out of her throat without her permission.

Lucius grabbed the blankets Hermione had left off to the side and wrapped them up into them, bringing her head so she was lying on his chest and just held her there and cradled her. His fingers played in her hair for what seemed like hours as they drifted in and out of sleep and eventually watched the sun rise together, completely content in a way neither had ever been before.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

"So, did you find anything in that book that tells us where to find the other book, or what?" asked Lucius as he stretched later that morning. He had handed it to Hermione when there was enough light to read by and laid down on her tummy to go back to sleep, leaving her to see what she could find out.

"There's a certain symbol that's been prevalent throughout the book," Hermione told him. "It's an oval wrapped around a line, almost looks like the eye of a dragon if you look at it the right way. I even have some idea of what it means, and its origins are something along those lines. The oval is actually an orb of knowledge said to have been forged by dragons themselves, while the line is a sword forged by giants that was once used to cleave the orb in two. It's said that the book is meant to be used to heal the orb of knowledge so that we can regain all the spells of dragons that the world once knew but currently are lost."

"Wow," Lucius said as he leaned up on one elbow to look at her. "That sounds like one tall order, doesn't it? That book is worth a lot more than Kingsley has been letting on."

"I wonder why the giants would have wanted to end dragon magic in the first place," Hermione commented.

"I don't know," Lucius shrugged, reaching up to tug her toward him.

Hermione chuckled and leaned forward to give him the kiss he was after, and then she said, "Well, anyway, there's only one thing we're going to be able to do about it. If we have any hope at all of spotting that symbol, it's going to be by flying over the mountains. We're not likely to spot a thing on foot with so much ground to cover, don't you think?"

"What, no climbing?" he asked with mock disappointment as he kissed her again. "How shall I ever live?"

"Oh, we can still climb," she said. "Just not until we have some idea where to look first."

"Party pooper," Lucius grumbled as he got to his feet and dusted himself off, then helped Hermione up as well. "Let's not bother to break camp till after a little jaunt in the air around here and some lunch first, what do you say?"

"That should be all right," she agreed.

"Well good, and since we're cheating, we could always jaunt over and have lunch in Paris," he said with a hopeful grin.

"Sure, maybe even in a five star restaurant after we broom on over to Nice to do some shopping for the perfect outfits to wear there," Hermione said as she bat her eyes up at him. "Your treat, of course."

"Well, of course," he said. "I am the one who's loaded."

"Don't rub it in, Malfoy," she grumbled as she turned to walk away, but he reached out and easily brought her back to him.

"You mean I can't rub anything today?" he wanted to know. "I never did finish rubbing."

"Lucius!' Hermione gasped as each of his hands slid down toward one of her butt cheeks and his lips trailed down her throat. He squeezed and nibbled, and next thing Hermione knew she was pulled a bit closer to him than would be considered at all proper, and she was quite sure she knew what else he was hoping to rub her with. "Hey, you, it's almost noon already. Shouldn't we be working on the—um—the other adventure, not the one you wanted on the train?"

"Dammit, I hate it when you're right," he growled as he bit the side of her neck and hugged her really close before he let go. "But you sure are building up that list of stuff you're making me wait till later to do, my dear."

"Somehow, I just can't bring myself to feel overly guilty," she said as she went to grab their brooms out of the packs and brought them back. "Let's get to it. Here's the symbol we're looking for."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

"So, which way do you think we should go, Granger?" Lucius inquired as the two flew southward over the vast expanse of foothills and mountains of France, Switzerland and Italy, the wind blowing in their hair, content in the knowledge that their Disillusionment would keep the non-magical folk from spotting them there.

"Let's head south east a bit, I think," she suggested. "I often find that the best place to hide something from someone is often right under their noses."

"So you think the best place to hide something from the Romans would have been somewhere in Rome itself?" Lucius asked with a chuckle. "That makes perfect sense to me."

Hermione grinned over at him, and pointed out, "I've done it to you more than once."

"Did you, really?" he inquired, brow raised.

"Oh, yes, back during the war," she said smugly. "The Order managed to keep a good many secrets from you Death Eaters with just such a strategy."

"I'll have to keep that in mind, for future reference," he said lightly.

"Damn, I just gave up one of my best secrets," Hermione said, pretending to hit herself on the forehead as if she hadn't given the matter any thought. "I'd better not try to hide anything from you ever again."

"No, you had better not, my dear," he agreed. "Because if you did, I'd be sure to find it."

Hermione laughed outright then. "I'd better get to work as soon as we get back to the Ministry, I think. You might just find a few things I already hid."

"Oh, ho, that sounds like a challenge!" Lucius answered with bravado, but then something off to the side caught his eye. "Wait, what was that? Circle round, my dear, over there. Do you see it? On the face of that cliff. That large oval with the scratched out area that might have once been a line through it?"

The two turned back and examined a rather tall side of one of the mountains as they passed, then passed by it again. Hermione said, "Did you see any sort of cave entrances on it, Lucius? It looks like solid rock."

"I don't know, my dear, but I do think it's worth a closer look," he said. "Let's go and collect our things and set up camp here. We can look around for possible ways in or any other clues. This looks like a pretty secluded spot, no trails in or anything."

"It's surrounded completely by dense forest," she agreed. "I doubt anybody is going to disturb us here."

"Hmm, that sounds promising," he commented with a suggestive smile.

"Stop it, you naughty boy," she said as his broom passed hers, swatting his backside again.

"That's three, Granger," he said. "I'm beginning to think you're trying to make that list take up more than one scroll."

"Well, you did say you were loaded," she reminded him. "I'm sure you can afford the vellum."

Lucius laughed heartily as they headed back toward camp. "That I can, my dear. That I can."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

"Hermione Granger, this is getting all kinds of ridiculous," Lucius finally claimed in exasperation when the tent he was trying to put up like a Muggle fell over the fourth time. She had stood watching him for the first three attempts, but turned away on the fourth and began busying herself with arranging some of their gear in an orderly manner so he wouldn't catch her chuckling, but he hadn't been fooled.

Now she turned around again, keeping as straight a face as she could and damning herself for having never been very good at the game of poker. "Yes, I suppose you could use a few pointers, but I didn't want to offer any more advice without you asking after the last attempt."

"What was wrong with the last attempt?" Lucius wanted to know.

"Nothing, of course, except that you never did light the fire," she pointed out.

"Yes, I did," he said as he turned and drew her into his arms. "I distinctly remember having heard it light." Hermione's face went crimson at the comment, and she could hear her heart pounding in her ears as her breath quickly sped up even faster than it had upon the occasion in question. "I see you know exactly what I'm talking about, bookworm. Surely you must have read about the physical effects of arousal on the female anatomy—"

"Stop it!" she gasped, but she could barely get the words out, firstly because that would have required that she had enough air to utter them, and secondly because it would have required that she had not just deposited her tongue down his throat. Lucius groaned, both in victory and in amusement, as he crushed her against him and the two fell down on top of the unpitched tent, uncaring of where they'd landed at the moment.

"Has anyone ever made you this hot before, Granger?" Lucius asked her as he rolled on top of her, "or has the whole thing always been purely academic?"

"Shut up, Lucius!" she grumbled as he bit at her lips, then trailed little bites all down the column of her throat, stopping to suckle at the base.

"The question is not just rhetorical, my sweet," he mentioned as his hands began to roam over her body, stoking her fire. "I was trying to decide just how much of a ravishing I was going to attempt."

Hermione laughed at this, the sound of it quite airy in her breathlessness. "Um, mostly academic, I'm sorry to admit. No one's ever gotten my knickers down, if that's what you mean."

"Damn!" he grumbled. "And has anyone ever got past this pretty bit of lace?" he asked as he ran a finger along the outer edge of the cute little black bra he'd just discovered underneath her sleeveless shirt.

"Only just," she blushed. "He didn't quite get away with touching the goods before I got away."

"Mmm, sweet," Lucius said, his eyes darkening as he looked up into hers. "Untasted candy always is the best. I find I don't like to share my goodies."

"Lucius!" Hermione gasped, both because of his blatant statement, and because his fingers had slid beneath the silky exterior and brushed along the side of the very hard flesh underneath. With a wicked smile, he pushed the bra aside and moved to taste her instead. "Lucius!" she gasped again, with far less of a protest and far more of a desire present in her tone this time.

"Sweet, sweet, sweet," he whispered, licking his way over to uncover the other one and give it a fair turn. Then he used his fingers on each of them as he moved over her again and plied her with soft, searching kisses with his eager lips and tongue until she was softly sighing into his mouth.

"You know something, Granger?" he said after a while. "I'm bloody well going to magic up that tent, and then we're going to make some dinner."

Hermione laughed, and answered, "Good idea."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

Lucius and Hermione were scouting along the base of the sheer rock for any sort of cracks they might be able to find along its smooth surface. They'd eaten their meal about an hour ago, and were taking advantage of the sunlight for as long as it would last now.

"You do know we'd cover more ground if we split up?" Hermione mentioned for the third time with a chuckle, but he put a possessive hand about her waist even as she said it.

"Hermione, my dear, we're deep in the forest," he pointed out. "Who knows what kind of murderous cutthroats or wild creatures could be out here? I'd never forgive myself if I left you alone and you got injured or worse. What kind of man do you take me for?"

"Lucius Malfoy, do you think I'm some kind of helpless little twit who doesn't know how to take care of herself?" Hermione demanded indignantly. "If I can fight off a whole gaggle of Death Eaters bent on killing me, I can certainly handle anything this forest has to offer. I'm going to go look at the other end and see if there's an opening, or this is going to take forever."

"Oh, all right, I suppose you're right," he conceded, though he pulled her closer instead of letting her go. "But would it sound stupid if I admitted I was going to miss you?"

"Yes, it would," she informed him, though she smiled as she said it. "But I like it anyway."

They both laughed as they kissed each other, and then Hermione turned and ran off into the trees as Lucius watched, the look on his face going from enraptured to amazed to something almost like fearful as his hand came up to hold his heart. Then he actually put the hand to his face and realized it was hot, and shook his head in wonder as he began to search in earnest yet again.

Hermione slowed down and began to trace the contours of the rocky surface as she continued on her way. She couldn't seem to wipe the silly smile off her face, and her beating heart did not slow down nearly as fast as she'd expected it to. Her mind kept wandering back to the kisses she and Lucius had shared before their meal earlier. Especially the ones he'd planted elsewhere than on her lips. Her breasts tightened again at the mere memory of the feel of his lips and tongue, and a little shiver passed through her.

"I must be seriously losing it," she muttered as she thought about just exactly who she'd just been snogging. This was Lucius Malfoy, a known racist Death Eater who had tried to kill her and used to call her Mudblood with as much hate in his voice as possible. Could he possibly be the same man who now called her bookworm with just as much—just as much of whatever that other emotion was she could hear now? And just what emotion might that one be? She was afraid to label it, afraid to discover it wasn't what she longed for it to be.

So lost in thought was she that Hermione did not notice until it was too late that a smallish dragon had just swooped past in the sky above her and was now diving straight at her. She noticed it just as the talons of the foul, reddish creature bit into her arms and grasped, tearing into her tender flesh.

"Let me go!" she shrieked, trying to reach for her wand in the side of her left boot. "Lucius! Lucius, help me!"

Lucius looked up in time to see Hermione and the dragon fly past at an alarming speed. He sprinted over to his broom and was on it in a flash, flying after the pair as they headed to the top of the mountains as quick as a flash and entered a small opening there. He was barely able to make it inside as the walls closed shut behind him, almost crushing him with a resounding snap that made him cover his ears and fall off of his broom and tumble into the pit deep below, striking his head on the rocks so that he was knocked completely unconscious.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

When Lucius came to everything was pitch black. He head was aching, and sticky with wet blood. He had no idea how long he'd been lying there, and he went into an instant panic. Would Hermione be okay? Was she even alive? How was he going to find her in the labyrinth of this mountain?

His heart thudded inside his chest as he felt around for his walking stick. His fingers touched the silver serpent's head, and he pulled free his wand from the casing, breathing a sigh of relief. "Lumous!" he whispered, casting just enough light to look around for his broom. He picked it up and carried it with him as he began to look around, picking his way through the darkness with great care.

It felt like hours later when he entered a cavern dimly lit by torches to either side. It was littered with bones of many kinds of creatures, and he could hear the distinctive sounds of many guttural voices making clicking and growling sounds, not unlike the sounds made by a nest of baby snakes he'd heard in Nagini's care in the past. Thinking of the snake's babies making similar sounds to those he heard ahead put Lucius on edge, making him wonder just what sort of next might lay ahead of him now.

He cast his eyes about, looking for signs of dragons, thinking that Hermione would be found in whatever direction such signs were found. Remnants of animal bones began to appear as he followed a dark cave, appearing more and more frequently. The sound of water dripping in the distance suggested the possibility of life signs as well. But the further in he went, the more concerned he became that more than one life was involved. Far too many bones littered the cave floors, and the sounds echoing off the walls were too frequent.

"What the bloody hell is this place?" he grumbled as he entered the large antechamber with wall sconces to either side. The flames, while quite large, barely made a dent in the gloom, and the path he had been following narrowed as the rest of the floor dropped sharply into the huge, gaping pit that fell into the darkness below. It was impossible to determine how deep it was, and Lucius had no desire to try. Hugging the wall as he continued forward, he found himself literally holding his breath in an attempt to make himself just a bit smaller until finally, at one point, he thought it prudent to simply mount his broom instead.

He landed again several meters ahead when the path widened again. What appeared to be a large nest rose above his head, and he climbed it cautiously and poked his head over the top to look inside. About ten small dragon were curled up inside, sound asleep. Hermione was under the wing of one of them, looking more annoyed than she did frightened, until she spotted him watching her.

Her face brightened visibly as she looked at him, and Lucius put a finger to his lips to caution her to make no noise, then beckoned for her to come to him. As silently as possible, Hermione slid out from under the dragon's wing and crept to the far edge of the nest, taking Lucius's hand and allowing him to help her over the ledge and into his arms.

"I was so worried they would have eaten you by now," he whispered as he buried his face into her hair, giving her soft kisses. Hermione just clung to him, her heart pounding every bit as fast as his, trying to hold her tears in check.

"I'm all right," she told him. "But it's so strange, Lucius. At first I thought the dragon must have mated to make so many more, but there are no shells anywhere. These must have come from something else. They're not her children. Do you have that book with you?"

"Hermione Granger, are you seriously telling me you want to read now?" Lucius asked incredulously.

"It's important," she insisted as she took the book from his hands and rifled through it as he held his wand up for her to see. She found the page she needed, and read out loud,

"The legend says that if the person who tried to break the curse was not worthy, he himself would be turned to a dragon and made to serve the dragon princess as well. All of these dragons must have tried and failed, Lucius. And if we don't figure out what we're supposed to do, so will we."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

Lucius and Hermione continued to follow the ledge that ranged along the edge of the deep, dark chasm. Their only source of light came from their wands and from the unnaturally red glow of the torches that lined the walls of the cave far above their heads. The only sounds they could hear came from the drips of water far ahead, and the dragon occupants who seemed to outnumber them greatly.

"I wonder just how many dragons are in here," Lucius speculated as they mounted his broom together yet again to get past a portion of ledge that was too narrow to traverse.

"It could be hundreds," said Hermione. "Maybe thousands."

"Yes, I gathered as much," he agreed. "I've been thinking, my dear, about your abduction earlier. About why they didn't eat you. This dragon princess may very well be quite cunning. It could have been some sort of a test, to see how worthy one of us might be to break the curse. Perhaps she was testing your bravery, or my heroism, or something of that nature."

"Yes, you could be onto something with that," Hermione agreed. "But we should take a break so I can read a bit more, I think. It would be unwise to go up there with no idea what we're up against, and besides, we've been walking for the better part of a day. I'm almost sure of it."

"I think you're right, on both counts," he agreed. "You can read while I unshrink us something to eat. Luckily I had my sack of goodies along when all hell broke loose."

"Lucius, you're an angel," Hermione told him, and kissed him between the shoulder blades.

"I've never been called that before," he chuckled as he maneuvered the broom back to the ledge and they dismounted again. "Now how about a proper kiss instead?"

Hermione laughed as he turned up her face and kissed her quite thoroughly before he let her go with the book in her hands. She sat down and flipped through the pages while Lucius busied himself with preparing their meal.

"Here we are, it's not much, but it should fill your belly," said Lucius after a bit. Hermione took the sandwich from him and set the book aside so she could eat it. "I didn't bring any cups along, so we'll have to share the canteen. But since we've been swapping spit lately, I hardly think it matters."

Hermione raised a quelling brow at him as he took a swig of water, and he almost sputtered the drink back out again on the laugh that welled up in his throat. "Hey, you don't have to put extras in there while you're at it," she chastised him as she took the thing away. Lucius nearly choked as he swallowed his gulp of water and laughed even harder.

"Granger, I swear I'm going to invest in a new pot of ink this very minute."

"Better get a new quill and a few extra scrolls too if you intend to keep track of me," she answered wickedly.

"Oh, really?" he asked as he sat down next to her and wrapped an arm around her, nibbling her neck playfully.

"Hey, do I look like lunch to you?" she grumbled.

"You look more like the main course," he told her. "I've definitely got that wrote in for a better time and place than this, you can be sure."

"Do you really?" she inquired sweetly. "I rather thought that had to be something agreed upon by both parties."

"I'm fairly certain it will be," he said as he kissed the side of her mouth. "Now eat your lunch, my sweet, we've got a lot more adventuring to do yet, and we've got to keep our heads in the game."

"Aye, aye, Captain," she agreed with a salute, and Lucius chuckled again as he moved to a less tempting distance from her and nibbled his food instead.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

Lucius had to convince Hermione to take a cat nap by stealing her book and using it for a pillow. Hermione tried to tickle him to get it back, but he just held her to his chest and kissed her into submission, then said, "Sleep for a bit, and then we'll read the bloody thing together. We're probably going to need all our strength for the next leg of this journey."

"Tyrant," she accused him.

"Does that surprise you for some reason, my dear?" he inquired with a smirk.

"No, it doesn't," she answered with a pout, and then she snuggled into the crook of his arm and used him as her pillow for the next hour or so, listening to his light snore like it was music to her ears. When the two finally stirred later they felt much more willing to move on, and they shared the last of their water before they set off.

"When we actually find the source of that incessant dripping, we'll need to fill this up again," Lucius commented as he strapped the canteen back over his shoulder again.

"Best make sure it's drinkable first," Hermione commented. "Dragons might make the water sulfuric."

"Mmm," he grunted non-commitally as he wrapped his arm around her waist as they began to walk, pulling her against his side. Hermione looked shyly up at him, then put her arm around him as well. Lucius leaned down to kiss the top of her head. They walked like that until they had to get onto the broom again, and then they were forced to hug the wall again as they had before for the next hour or so.

"Look," Lucius said softly. "I think we may be there."

"That ledge is absolutely crawling with dragons," Hermione said through clenched teeth. "And look, there's a rope ladder to get across."

"Hermione, have I ever told you how beautiful you are?" Lucius asked her as he lifted her face up to his.

"This is hardly the time or place for it," she mentioned.

"Well, I don't see why not," he said. "If we don't make it out of here, there won't be another time or place, will there?"

"I—I don't suppose there would be," she answered, her voice cracking with emotion. Lucius bent down and kissed her, hard, then backed away and grabbed the top rung of the ladder.

"I love you, Lucius!" Hermione told him, the words literally ripped out of her very soul as she watched him.

"Of course you do," he answered with a huge smile. "What kind of an adventure would this be if you didn't?"

Hermione's mouth dropped open as she put her hands on her hips and cocked her head at him, and he held out a hand to her, and she rushed forward to take it. Holding her to him, Lucius let go of the rope that kept the ladder from swinging away from the wall, and the two catapulted toward the milling throng of dragons waiting on the far ledge.

"I hope these creatures decide to be friendly," Hermione whispered against his chest as he caught at the rope on the other side.

"Jump off, sweetheart," he told her, and she did. Lucius followed right behind, and the two of them stepped forward to meet their fate, whatever it may be.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

Hermione and Lucius walked nervously past small dragons in every shade imaginable—green, brown, silver, gold, red, blue, black, and even a few white dragons cleared a path as they walked slowly past, arm in arm, watching the creatures closely with every step they took.

As they neared the far end of the wide path they traversed, the rocky ground began to rise, and they could perceive a solid wall of rock through the smoky haze that obscured their line of sight in the dimly lit chamber.

Lucius took a few more faltering step before coming to a complete stop, pulling Hermione closer to him into his protective embrace as he saw a huge blue dragon seated on a golden throne on a dais before them. He peered up at the beast, more curious than frightened, wondering if it might be the princess Hermione had been telling him about.

"Come closer, humans," said the creature in a lyrical, feminine voice. Her human words sounded odd coming from her reptilian throat, but were understandable nonetheless.

"Who—who are you?" Lucius inquired, holding Hermione even closer than before.

"Have no fear that I would harm your mate, male human," said the dragon with some amusement. "She is safe here. Come forward, that I might have a look at the two of you. It has been many years since two such brave humans have come into my keep."

"Do it, Lucius," Hermione said softly into his ear, squeezing his arm lightly.  
Putting his arm around Hermione's waist, Lucius walked forward with her, keeping her near him. When they reached the foot of the dais he looked boldly up at the beautiful, deadly beast who beckoned, and he could not help but stare at her in awe.

"I have your word, then, beast? You will not harm my mate, not matter what?"

"No matter what," she agreed with a smile. "Though I notice you do not ask the same for yourself."

"I am not a fool, dragon," he commented lightly.

"I did not think you were," she answered with a laugh. "I know that you have come for the book, human creatures. What I would like to know is your reason."

"We have been charged by our leader to restore ancient tomes of great importance to their former glory, and we believe your book to be of great importance to those who study and practice magic," Lucius explained. "It would be a shame and a waste if the teachings within it were lost to the world forever, princess. We believe that witches and wizards who are worthy should be taught the spells within that book once again, so that its knowledge can once again live and breathe as it should, and not pass away forever."

"This is indeed a worthy undertaking," she agreed as she preened within her seat, her head rising high above them as she stretched it into the air. "And I do believe it is a goal I am willing to allow you to attempt to fulfill. Hygor, Tapur, bring these humans to the bathing pool and purify them. We shall begin the ritual within the hour. Even now the moon begins to rise. All must be ready soon. Humans, you will be brought to the healing chamber to read from the book. If you successfully heal the eye, the book is yours. But, if you fail, I fear your fate will be to remain here with all the others."

"We understand, Your Highness," Lucius agreed, bowing low before her.

"Thank you, your Highness," Hermione added as she bowed as well.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

"Why were you so quiet back there, Hermione?" Lucius inquired as they followed the two dragons who escorted them through a long, steamy corridor towards what sounded like a rushing waterfall. "I've never known you to be that quiet in all the time I've known you, not even when you were a child."

Hermione blushed, remembering the first time they had met and she'd told him that fear of a word only made the word more powerful. "Yeah, that's true," she chuckled. "But I had the feeling that if I interfered in your little conversation back there the princess would have considered you less of a man, and I didn't want her to get that impression."

"Hmm, thanks," he said with a suggestive grin.

"Hey, now, I didn't mean it like that," she protested, turning to bite the side of his neck. "I don't share my mate with anybody—especially not some huge, ugly dragoness."

Lucius laughed then. "Oh, so I'm your mate now, am I?"

"You're the one who said so, aren't you?" she pointed out, then skipped away down the corridor after the dragons before he could say another word. Lucius had a huge smile on his face as he watched her go which he couldn't seem to wipe away, so he took his time catching up in the hopes he could regain his composure before she saw him again.

But since his arrival was precisely timed to coincide with the point at which the two dragons were helping Hermione remove her dress and he got a full glimpse of the panties that went along with her lacy bra he'd already discovered, his wish was far from granted. Lucius stopped short and just took in the site, his heart pounding hard, his breath coming in short little gasps as she turned and caught sight of him standing there.

Hermione froze, gazing at him in a heady combination of surprise and hot desire. The dragons took off the remainder of her garments, unaware of the change of mood they'd inadvertently brought about, and when she finally realized she was standing completely naked in front of him, she had the good grace to blush profusely and step down into the heated pool they'd been preparing her for.

The dragons next stepped over to the rather aroused man who was still staring after his already unclothed companion and proceeded to divest him of his garments as well. The hungry look in his eyes was not lost on Hermione, who quickly went as in as far and as deep as possible in a futile hope to at least delay the inevitable for a few moments. She heard every single exhale of his breath, matching each one with her own, and she waited for him to get into the water with her.

They were down to just his boxers now, and Hermione couldn't tear her eyes away as they trailed down to take in the fact. Lucius, however, stopped them at this point, well aware that the girl in the water had not yet seen the sight they were about to reveal. He stepped to the edge still hidden, his eyes watching hers, and only when she looked into his again did he remove the garment in question and slip into the pool.

"Lucius, there's not much time," she whispered as he moved in her direction.

"Hush, love," he whispered as he reached her, his hands running over her shoulders and down her arms. "I'll not take you in such a place as this. When I make you my own, I want to take my time with you, to show you what it means to be a woman, and what it means to pleasure the man who has given his heart to you."

"Lucius!" she breathed into his mouth as he kissed her softly. She could feel his nakedness as he pressed against her fully, wanting him with every part of her being, aching for the fulfillment that he had just told her he would not yet give.

"Shh, sweetheart, let me wash your hair," he said, turning her around. Hermione tilted her head backwards and let him wet her hair, and only then realized he'd brought soap along with him. It felt heavenly as his fingers scrubbed her scalp, and she closed her eyes, savoring his ministrations. When he'd rinsed her clean, she turned and smiled at him.

"Your turn," she told him, taking the soap. With a smile, Lucius turned around to let her wash his hair as well.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

Lucius and Hermione stood to either side of an oblong stone table, each facing one half of the cleaved eye orb. Each of them wore a long white robe tied shut with a golden colored cord. They were each easily within reach of the book, which was set in the middle of the table between them, but neither had been given any indication which one was expected to approach the tome. The two looked uncertainly across the expanse as the moon neared the top, each of them feeling compelled to move, but neither one taking a step.

The dragon princess remained silent and still, her eyes trained upon the book, almost as if in a trance, as she waited. Finally, just as the moon was about to peak, her voice rang out.

"The two of you are a puzzle to me, so very different, yet so much a part of each other. You are yin and yang, personified. You, man, you are darkness within yet golden without, you have seen hell and have returned, though not unscathed, your heart is pure in a way I have never seen, such an odd mixture of chivalry and naughtiness as cannot be explained. You, girl, have lightness within and yet hide it behind a shield so it cannot shine, you have known much pain yet it does not seem to touch you within, you have a power that is unmatched by anyone I have ever known. I cannot say which of you is the champion. The choice must be your own."

"Lucius, I know the answer," Hermione said as she looked up into his eyes. "Neither one of us is the champion. We are yin and yang. We shall do it together."

"Yes, I believe you are right, my dear," he agreed, and the two of them each took of one half of the orb and carried it to the center. Together they held them aloft above the book and recited the words on the page:

"Tol loft norta, garr nag ortha! Nek!"

A golden light encircled them, coming from the orbs they held. Brighter and brighter it became, and the very walls of the cavern began to shake. Every dragon there began to panic and run, flapping their wings and making for the exit. Only the humans and the princess stood their ground even and the floor began to split open beneath their feet, threatening to swallow them.

Then the ceiling cracked and large rocks fell about them. The dragon grabbed the book and the humans in her arms and carried them all with her as she flapped her wings hard, making for the hole through which the moon itself had shone. The opening was not as large as she would like, so she kicked at the crumbling rock with her feet, shattering the stone and bursting free, carring the three of them to safety in the grotto beyond.

Lucius and Hermione tumbled together as the princess tripped and fell to the ground, and they rolled down to the bottom along with her, and as they landed they realized they were clinging to one healed orb instead of the two broken pieces. At the same time they released it, and it floated into the air for a moment, then alighted in the middle of the forehead of their dragon companion.

Her lovely blue scales began to glow, and then they turned bronzed in color and she shape-shifted into a beautiful woman with long, golden hair before their very eyes. Lucius winked at Hermione, and she elbowed him in the ribs.

"Ouch!" he grumbled. "I didn't do anything."

"Silly woman," said the princess with a laugh as she got to her feet. "Don't you know you could not have performed that spell together if he didn't love you with all his heart?"

"Of course I do," Hermione said. "I just like picking on him. It's a human thing."

"Ah, I see," she answered, furrowing her brow. "I fear I have never understood such things. However, as the two of you have won the book, and as I am its protector, we must now journey to the place it will be kept, that I may make accommodations for myself and my followers there. I hope there is a cave there large enough?"

"Oh, I'm sure we'll think of something, Your Highness," Lucius reassured her. "If you'll just follow us."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

"It's sure a good thing you're able to shift back into your dragon form at will, Your Highness," Hermione told the princess about an hour later as she shifted back into her human form and watched the two humans begin to gather their camp gear on the other side of the mountain. "And it's also a good thing Lucius can use my broom while I ride your back on the way back to England instead of the other way around," she added with a teasing smile.

"Darn, foiled again," he said, snapping his fingers before he snuck up behind her and wrapped her into his arms. "But that plan doesn't sound half as fun as mine. We're going to share the broom, my love. I want to hold you in my arms all the way there."

"Do you?" she asked with a smile as she tried to avoid his lips just to tease him.

"Mmm, gimmy!" he finally growled, catching her face and holding it still so he could take what he was after. Hermione giggled and turned into his embrace when she realized he was after more than just a casual peck. Lucius's tongue tangled with hers just enough to let her know what he had in mind for her later, and she had to set him away from her and cast a meaningful look toward their companion.

Casting the dragon woman a smile, he kissed Hermione's cheek instead, and got back to breaking camp. The princess made a strange noise, something between a whistle and a growl, and four of her dragon servants appeared to help things along. They made quick work of the task, and soon everything was ready to go.

"I will carry the book myself, if that is all right with the two of you," she said as they got on the broom, Hermione in front and Lucius behind her, nuzzling her hair playfully.

"Quite all right," he agreed, and Hermione nodded her agreement as well. "Now, we shall cast a spell on everyone so that the non-magical folks don't see us. Most of the humans these days are no longer used to seeing dragons flying about, you understand, so there are rules and restrictions in place about flying just anywhere. You shall all be told about them when we get back to the Ministry, I'm quite sure, but for now as long as we all stick together everything should be fine. Ready?"

"Yes, ready," she answered, and turned to communicate what Lucius had said to all of her two hundred followers who had gathered as well. As one, the dragons bowed to their princess, and prepared to fly out into the night sky.

"If someone told me a year ago that I'd be about to lead out a couple hundred dragons back to England so they could take up residence somewhere near London I would have probably told them they were loony," Hermione commented.

"And what would you have said if someone had told you a year ago that you'd be working side by side with Lucius Malfoy at the Ministry of Magic, or that you'd go on an adventure with him to the south of France, or that you would end up madly in love with him, or that he would fall madly in love with you?" Lucius asked her.

"Well, that would have been a tall order, wouldn't it?" she chuckled. "I suppose I would have had to tell them that I couldn't wait to see what would happen next."

"Well, my dear, after all of that, I'd imagine the rest ought to be smooth sailing," Lucius predicted.

"Smooth sailing?" Hermione repeated, pulling a face. "You just had to say that, didn't you?"

"What do you mean, my dear?" he asked, casting her a confused grin.

"You really don't want to know," she told him, and snuggled more comfortably into his arms, quite certain she would need a nice, long nap.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

"Wake up, Hermione, you're missing the sunrise," Lucius whispered in her ear some hours later. When she opened her eyes, Hermione saw that they were flying over the last of the channel near Dover, and the sun was coming up behind the cathedral, casting its light through the stained glass in lovely shades of greens, reds and blues. She smiled back at Lucius, and he took the opportunity to press his lips to hers.

"How long have we been flying?" she asked him.

"Five hours," he said. "I think you must have been more tired than you thought."

"Yes, I must have," she agreed. She turned to watch as the scenery went by at a fast clip and before she knew it they were over London and approaching the Ministry of Magic headquarters. Lucius directed all the dragons to land on the grounds of one of his own houses until he could inquire of Kingsley what they should do with them. He sent a Patronus to the Minister apprising the man of the situation, and asked the princess if she would accompany himself and Hermione to meet him.

"Of course I would wish to meet the man you follow," she agreed amiably. "I would not have it any other way. It is to be expected in such matters, is it not?"

"Yes, Your Highness, I believe it is," he said with an inclining of his head. "And do we wish to stop off to put on something a bit more decent first, my dear?"

Only then did Hermione remember that she and Lucius were still wearing only the white robes they'd put on to do the ritual. They covered the important bits, but underneath they had on nothing at all. It was hardly a proper thing to wear in front of the Minister, and Hermione blushed to think they might have done so had he not mentioned it.

"Do we have time to stop off at both of our houses?" she asked, biting her lip uncertainly.

"We can stop here," he said. "I'm sure I can find something in my house to put you in." Hermione blushed even more, and Lucius bit her earlobe. "I mean, besides my bed, that is."

"Stop it," she whispered, but she didn't make any attempt to prevent his hands from roaming underneath the front of her robe to tweak her hardening nipples as his lips and tongue slid along the side of her neck and down to her shoulder to give her a playful nibble there. Her breasts practically put themselves into his hands all by themselves as she sucked in her breath and leaned back into him, biting her lip to keep from moaning outright.

"For now, perhaps," he whispered as he let her go.

"If you two need a little time to—um—rest, we can wait a while," said the princess with a knowing smile.

"No, Your Highness, I fear we would need way too much rest to make that a good idea," Lucius told her. This made Hermione blush a deep red, and her companions burst into laughter over it. Lucius led the way indoors, and smiled at the impressed expressions on their faces as they looked at his luxurious home.

"Come, my love, let's go find you a nice dress, shall we?" he said to Hermione then.

"Yes, let's" said Hermione, and made a point of swatting his backside quite thoroughly as he went past her to lead the way.

"And a roll of vellum too," he said with a laugh. "A nice, fat roll of vellum and a big, juicy pot of ink with your name on it."

"Don't forget the quill," she reminded him as she chased him down the hall.

"I wouldn't dream of it, my dear," he told her as he turned and caught her about the waist and dragged her against his side, effectively ending her attack. Hermione squealed the rest of the way down the hall.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-One

"As you can see, Kingsley, when you send Hermione and I on a mission, we most certainly deliver," said Lucius with a wry smile. He was standing a circumspect distance away from her, and Hermione had taken his cue and was behaving in a more subdued manner as well.

"And who is this lovely vision you've brought along with you?" asked Kingsley in a smooth voice as he took the hand of the princess, now in her human form, and kissed it in a rather suave manner. "This cannot possibly be the thousands of years old dragon princess of legend you told me you had in tow. My dear, you can't possibly be over a hundred."

The princess actually giggled and blushed, much to the surprise of Lucius and Hermione as they looked on. She said, "I haven't been accused of being that age in centuries, you sweet talker. You're most definitely a leader who knows how to get what he wants. Tell me, Lord Kingsley, do you greet all important dignitaries in such a fashion?"

"Oh no, I've never had one such as yourself to greet," he answered as he began to walk her away. "May I show you around the Ministry office, and tell you of our history, my dear? It would be my great honor to bring you up to speed on current events. Believe me, the Grimoire is in good hands with those two—especially Hermione. Books are what she cares about more than anything else in the world—"

"Well, how do you like that?" Hermione commented as the two disappeared out the door without another look toward either of them.

Lucius chuckled as he watched the door close behind them with a rather quiet click. He turned and looked at Hermione for a moment, and then she realized at exactly the same moment that he did that their departure had left them completely alone in their big room full of books.

"I like it just fine, Miss Granger," Lucius commented dryly as he closed the distance between them in one hasty step, pulling her rather clumsily into his arms. His hip knocked a jar of quills off the desk. A pot of ink tumbled over and spilled its contents on the floor. The papers Hermione had picked up and started to file fell from her fingertips and scattered about, forgotten as her arms flew about his neck.

"This is not a good way to run a tight ship, Lucius Malfoy," she admonished him with a giggle as his lips descended on hers.

"Oh, I know," he agreed as he lifted her off her feet and looked around for someplace to set her down. He turned around and carried her over to the desk. He whisked everything that was on it out of the way. Papers, books, quills and ink went flying in all directions. The distinct sound of something glass breaking made both of them wince momentarily.

"What do you think you're doing, then?" she demanded as her pert behind hit the cool, smooth surface and then he slid her to the edge and spread her legs open, wrapping them around his torso so he could press his hardened need against her wetness.

"I promise, Hermione, after today, things will be different," he said hungrily against her lips.

"Different?" she chuckled, kissing him back for all she was worth.

Lucius slid his hands down to cup her breasts through the thin fabric of her dress, rolling the nipples he could feel even through the smooth silk. Hermione moaned into his mouth, and their tongues twined eagerly together. One of his hands moved down to pull at her panties so he could slide a finger inside to play with her.

"Mm-hmm," he said, rubbing her lightly. "From now on, we'll be good little sailors here at work, and only play after hours."

"Really?" she said distractedly, her head rolling back as she began to thoroughly enjoy his ministrations.

"Yes, my love," he said. "I promise, from now on everything will be smooth sailing."

"Mmm, I like the sound of that," she answered with a secret smile as he rocked her world.

**~~~FINIS~~~**


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